Hosiery and method of making the same



June 23, 1935. J, H BAUGH 2,044,966

HOSIERY AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [NI 51v T01? J'oH/V HARLJN B z/aH,

L V By ATTy.

on every other needle.

Patented June 1936 UNITED STATES nosmar AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME John Harlin Baugh, Chattanooga, Tenn assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, It. 1., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 16, 1931, Serial No. 581,346

83 Claims. (Cl. Gil-172) This invention relates to hosiery and methods of making the same, andwherein the hosiery is characterized by being weltless, i. e., single ply.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing a few wales and courses at the top of a stocking as the same is when it is removed from the knitting machine;

Fig. 2.is a similar view showing a few wales and courses of the finished stocking top, which latter is provided with a pic'ot edge;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the unfinished stocking (Fig. 1) on a suitable form for shaping the same; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the stocking still on the form, and showing said stocking after the pull thread has been removed thereby separating the stocking proper from a. few waste courses. I

Preferably although not necessarily each stock.- ing is cast oil the needles which thereafter commence the knitting of a few waste courses for the top of the next stocking by knitting on every other needle for one or more courses and on every needle for one or more courses and thereafter In Fig. 1, coursei is shown as the last -course knitted by all of the needles knitting a yarn 2; course 3, which is 'the immediately succeeding course, is shown as having been knitted with alternate needles the intermediate needles having cast oil their stitches. The said alternate needles are shown in Fig. l as having knitted the wales 4, 5, 6, 1, etc., the

, intermediate stitches 8, 9, I0, etc. (course 1) cal being the stitches cast oif by the intermediate needles as aforesaid. After the knitting of the course 3 any desired number of additional courses like course 3 may be knitted by the alternate needles until finally a loose course II is knitted by the said alternate needles only, the loops of the loose course II being shown, Fig. 1, somewhat longer than they normally would be, for the purpose of clearly illustrating the invention. After the knitting of the course II the inter- .mediate cylinderneedles are restored to action, engaging the yarn in their hooks during the knitting of the first course I2 and then being maintained inactive during the knitting of the next few (three being shown) courses I2. Following the knitting of the courses IZall of the needles preferably, though not necessarily, en

gage and knit a course I3 witha yarn I4, and draw the same through the loops, the alternate 'needles drawing loops of the yarn I4 through loops knitted with the yarn 2 during the knitting of the last course I2; while the intermediate needles draw loops of the yarn I4 through loops drawn during the knitting of the first course I2, the loops or stitches drawn by the intermediate needles with the thread 2 being relatively elongated and constituting draw or tuck stitches I5. Following the knitting of the course I8 all of the needles continue to knit the leg of the stocking which stockingmay thereafter be knitted in any convenient or desired manner. 7

Each stocking I6 after it has been knitted as hereinbefore described, is ordinarily dyed and then while in a more or less moist condition is placed on a suitable form I! which is heated thereby causing the stocking to set. Accordingto the present invention, and preferably at this time, the strand of thread or yarn 2 which constitutes the pull course II is severed and re-' moved in any suitable manner, the removal of the loose course II thus separating the stocking I6 from the waste portion I 8 consisting of the courses I and 3.

Ordinarily when knitting single ply or weltless stocking tops, the first few courses thereof curl and it is not practicable to finish the same in such a way that the edges will be flat, i. e., will not curl. As shown at I9 in Figs. 3 and 4 the upper edge of the waste section I8 curls or rolls over the upper portion I8 and when the waste portion I8 is removed from the stocking I6 the resultant selvage, picot edge 20 has little or no tendency to curl, the stocking having been set by the heated form I! prior to the severance of the waste portion I8 from the stocking proper.

Thus the hereinbefore described method of knitting, namely, with a waste portion I8, in conjunction with the "setting" of the stitches by the heated form I'l, provides a selvage and picot stocking top without a tendency to curl or at least with very little tendency to curl.

Fig. 2 shows the appearance of the picot edge after removal of the loose course I I; or, in other words, showshow the edge or top of a stocking looks after it has been finished in a manner hereinbefore described. Inspection of Fig. 1

shows that the special stitches I 5- extend across four courses; whereas inspection of Fig; 2 shows the same tuck or draw stitches as extending across two knitted courses and into the picot edge of the fabric. This transformation is due to a cutting" or removal of the pull course I I which removes support of the special stitches I5 which thereupon-due to the fact that the stocking in on the form I! and that the tuck or draw stitches I5 tendto contract although not being so, shown in Fig. 1--are drawn below the upper floats 2| which floats finally assume the shape shown at 2 I, Fig. 2. The two strand. portions of the thread or yarn 2 which constitute each tuck or draw stitch l5, finally assume the relative position shown in Fig. 2 being bound between the picot loop 2| and the floats 22 which were the intermediate floats, Fig. 1. The lowermost floats 23, Fig. 1, are likewise positioned in the completed fabric as shown in Fig. 2. The picot loops 2 I remain in the position shown in Fig. 2, being inclined to tilt forwardly; the reason that such picot loops do not tend to straighten out being that the fabric is knitted circular and that there is an excess of yarn, i. e., more yarn than is measured by the circumference of the stocking at the top thereof. 7

The top shown in Fig. 2- provides a fast or selvage edge, the picot loops 2i being prevented from running by the special stitches l5 and the latter being prevented from running by being interlaced or interlocked with the picot edge loops 2| and the floats 22, 23, a strand of each tuck or draw stitch i5 passing between a picot loop 2| and a float 22 in the manner indicated in Fig. 2.

Preferably, although not necessarily, the product is a seamless stocking or half hose, 1. e., one without a line of stitches uniting adjacent edges of a fiatstocking blank. In the foregoing description and in the appended claims, reference is made tospecial stitches, the limitation special" being intended to include stitches knitted by the needles or some of them retaining loops or stitches in their hooks during the knitting of two or more courses, e. g?

stitches commonly known'as tuck or draw stitches. The limitation special is also intended to include other forms ofstitches, especially when the special stitch construction assists in a selvage formation. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the disclosed means for or method of beginning the knitting of the stockings, nor is it limited to the disclosed means for or method of forming the picot edge, although it is advantageous to knit the waste courses such as 3 upon alternate needles only; furthermore, there is' no intention to limit the terms of the claims hereto appended other than by "express limitations-in the claims themselves.

The stocking hereinbefore disclosed is pref-. erablyknitted plain, i. e., an a knitting machine having a single bed of needles as distinguished from a rib machine.

This application is a continuation as to all common subject matter of application Ser. No. 539,503, filed May 23. 1931.

I claim:

1. A method of making a stocking consisting in knitting waste courses, knitting 'a selvage course or courses and other courses of the stocking, sub- Jecting the stocking to finishing operations including placing the stocking on a suitable form, and separating the waste courses from the stocking proper, whereby undesired curling of the finished edge of the stocking is obviated.

3. A method of making a stocking consisting in knitting waste courses, the last of which is a pull course, knitting a selvage course andother courses, transterring the knitted stocking to a "a single layer, and with waste courses at the top of the stocking, boarding the stocking with the waste courses attached; and then removing such waste courses, whereby a stocking having a single layer at its top is produced and the stocking top is protected during the boarding of the stocking.

5. Inthe manufactureof weltless hosiery, the steps of: knitting fabric comprising'a single layer, the fabric consisting of a plurality of distinctive portions including a stocking-leg and waste portions at the top thereof, passing the stocking leg and waste courses through finishing steps, and then removing the waste courses, whereby a stocking having a single layer at its top is produced and which stocking is protected'during the finishing steps by the waste courses.

6. A method of manufacturing a stocking consisting in knitting a plurality of courses some'of 2 which are waste courses and others of which constitute a finished stocking leg, thereafter finishing the stocking, the finishing including the removal of the waste courses subsequent to other finishing operations by which ,said other finishing operations undesired curling of the finished stocking top is avoided.

* '1. A method of manufacturing a stocking contions, and knitting other courses constituting the leg of the stocking, one or more of which courses constitutes a picot, selvage edge, finishing the stocking, the finishing including astep of sepa rating the waste courses from the picot-edge, such finishing avoiding undesired curling of the finished stocking.

v9. An unfinished seamless stocking consisting of a plurality of courses some of whichcourses 5 have the full complement of wales while other courses have alternate wales only,. and one. or more courses, between the courses having the full complement of wales and said other courses, constituting a selvage formation for the stocking top when said other courses are removed.

10. A plain or non-rib knitted stocking consisting of independent needle stitches, such stocking having a substantially non-curlin selvag'e top of single ply, the non-curling characteristic being the result of a finishing operation.

11. A plain ornon-rib knitted stocking having a substantially-non-curling, selvage top of single ply. the non-curling characteristic being the result of a'finishing operation, some of the wales having special stitches at or adjacent to the top of the stocking.

12. A substantially non-curling, plain single ply, selvaged, plain knitted stocking top having selvage courses consisting of interspersed plain and special stitches.

13. A method of knitting a selvage fabric consisting in knitting waste courses on alternate needles only of 'a knitting machine and then causing'all of the needles to take yarn and thereafter causing some at least of the. needles other" than the said alternate needles to knit special stitches while the remaining needles are knitting plain stitches.

14. A method of knitting a selvage fabric consisting in knitting one or more waste courses on alternate needles only of a knitting machine, the last such course being a pull course, and thereafter knitting the selvage fabric by knitting special stitches on alternate needles and knitting plain stitches on the intermediate needles.

15. A method of knitting a selvage fabric consisting in knitting on alternate needles only of a knitting machine for one or more courses, then causing all of the needles to take yarn, some at least of the needles other than the said alterattached to said top, boarding the stocking with.

the ravel-oif section attached, and then removing the ravel-ofl section, whereby a stocking having a single layer at its top is produced and this stocking top is protected during the boarding operation.

1'7. A knitted stocking having at its upper end.

a fabric of single thickness with a picot edge, in combination with waste material above said edge knit integrally therewith having fewer wales in said upper end for drawing out a thread to part the waste material from the picot edge.

18. A knitted stocking having at its upper end a fabric of single thickness with a picot edge, in combination with waste material above said edge knit integrally therewith having drop stitches therein adjacent said picot edge for. drawing out a thread to part the waste material 5 from the picot edge. 7

19. A knitted fabric comprising a stocking having anupper edge of a single thickness and waste material knit integrally with saidedge, said edge havinga picot structure, and a plurality of 10 courses of the waste material adjacent said picot having drop stitches therein, for the purpose of permitting separation of said material from said picot edge.

20. In a process of making a stocking, the steps of knitting'waste material on a certain number of needles and bringing into action additional needles intercalated with the needles used in making said waste material and knitting on the increased number of needles a picot structure in the plain fabric and subsequently boarding the stocking and parting the waste material from the stocking by drawing a thread from said waste material.

21. A process of making a stocking, comprising the steps of knitting waste material having courses knit on all the needles and adjacent courses knit on a lesser number-of needles, knitting the stocking with a picot edge adjacent said latter courses and subsequently boarding said stocking and parting the waste from the stocking by drawing a thread from one of the courses having a lesser number ,of wales.

22. A substantially non-curling, single ply, selvaged, plain knitted stocking top, having one or more selvage courses including special stitches.

23. A substantially non-curling, single ply, selvaged, plain knitted stocking top, having one or more selvage courses including special stitches, the selvage comprising a picot edge. 4

JOHN HARLIN BAUGH. 

